1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a printing apparatus, and more particularly, to a printing apparatus having an image input function (a scanner function) and an image output function (a printing function) using an electro-photographic method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A basic function of a printing apparatus is to print images on paper. The printing apparatus may have one or more additional functions, for example, a scanner function to read image information, a copy function, a facsimile function, etc. Such a printing apparatus having more than one additional function, in addition to the printing function, is referred to as a multi-functional printer. The multi-functional printer having a printing function and an additional function can be referred to in different ways depending on the additional function. Throughout the specification, an apparatus comprising a printing unit printing images on paper and a scanning unit reading image information is referred to as a printing apparatus. When a printing apparatus has the printing unit and the scanning unit, the printing apparatus may have basically the functions of a printer, a scanner, and a copier. Since the scanning unit can function as an input portion of a facsimile, and the printing unit can function as an output portion of the facsimile, the printing apparatus may have a function of the facsimile when being provided with a line control unit (LCU).
In the printing apparatus having the scanner function, the scanning unit is generally installed at an upper side of the printing unit. A photosensitive drum and a developing device which are used in the printing unit are consumables, and, therefore, must be replaced with new ones when they reach ends of their service lives. Since the scanning unit is positioned at the upper side of the printing unit, a side cover or a front cover of the printing unit must be opened in order to replace consumables with new ones. Recently, as printing apparatuses have been supplied to personal users, the size of the printing apparatus is inclined to be gradually smaller. In particular, as the height of the printing apparatus has been reduced gradually, the size of the side cover or the front cover also tends to be gradually smaller. Therefore, even when the side cover or the front cover is opened, it is difficult for a user to separate/attach the developing device from/to the printing unit by hand. In order to solve this problem, a method may be considered in which rails are installed at the printing unit for the developing device to be able to slide on the rails, and after the developing device is caused to lie on the rails, the developing device is inserted into or is extracted from the printing unit. However, in this case, there is a problem in which the manufacturing cost thereof increases. In addition, when a printing medium jam occurs during printing, the jammed printing medium can be removed after the side cover or the front cover is opened, and the developing device is extracted. However, even when the developing device can be easily extracted from the printing unit provided with the rails, there is a problem in which since it is hard to put a user's hand into the printing unit, the jammed medium is not easily removed.